| Nationalities: | Britain (UK) / France. |
|---|---|
| Languages: | English / French. |
| Profession: | Adventurer |
| Types: | Adventurer, Athlete |
Tarka spent his early years climbing, skiing, skydiving, paragliding and BASE jumping before turning his hand to large-scale expeditions. Initially these were mountaineering expeditions to include Mt Blanc, Aconcagua and Cho Oyu before developing an interest in the polar regions.
After several successful small scale expeditions to the Arctic, in 2004 he attempted to become the youngest person ever to reach the North and South Poles unaided.
He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a mentor of the British Schools Exploring Society and has used his expeditions to support a number of charities including: Make-A-Wish Foundation, Cancer Research, Practical Action, Merlin, and Re-Cycle.
He married Katie-Jane Cooper
Part to remove and put in the expeditions section:
In 2006 EverestMax expedition. From the shores of the Dead Sea in Jordan (−400m) to the summit of Mt. Everest. Tarka attempted to summit Mt Everest without oxygen. At the North Col (7,020 m) he developed HACE and had to be evacuated.
In 2007 he and Katie-Jane Cooper became the first persons to walk the entire length of the Great Wall of China (4500km).
In 2008 l'Herpiniere cycled over 8,000 km through Africa on a 30-year-old bicycle with no brakes or gears to promote the charity Re-Cycle.
In 2009 Rivers of Ice expedition: Tarka and Jane completed the longest crossing of the Southern Patagonian Ice Cap by a British team.
2009 Polar research and support station as part of the Catlin Arctic Survey.
In 2013, Tarka and Ben Saunders completed the "Terra Nova Expedition" known as the "Scott Expedition". It was the re-enactment or attempt to complete the Robert Falcon Scott expedition of January 1912. The expedition could have been the longest unsupported (i.e. human-powered, with no air-drops, vehicles or kites) polar expedition in history at 2900 km but they had to be resupplied. (TBC) The expedition ended on 15 February 2014.
Film section:
2008 The Great Walk of China
2009 The African Way
2010 Rivers of Ice
List of notable trips and endurance challenges (can be part of the bio + on TripDB, to be discussed of notable expeditions for Expedb)
1995 Summit of Mt. Blanc
1997 Cycled 1000 miles from Cheltenham (England) to Nice (France).
1999 Ran 8 marathons in 8 consecutive days down the west coast of France carrying all his equipment.
1999 4-man team to summit Mt. Blanc.
2001 35-day expedition to the North / East coast of Svalbard.
2001 Winter mountaineering expedition to the Andes.
2002 Expedition Leader of a 23-day expedition to Cornwallis Island.
2003 Solo expedition to Devon Island.
2003 Solo Svalbard expedition.
2004 Solo 27-day expedition to Russia.
2005 Unsuccessful Bi-Polar expedition.
2005 Unsupported crossing of the Alps from France to Switzerland.
2005 Climbing expedition up Mt. Blanc in training for Mt. Everest.
2008 2-man expedition off the North / East coast of Spitsbergen.
2008 8000 km cycle expedition from Djibouti to South Africa.
Cheltenham College.
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Brunel University
University of Bath